


A&B, or How to tame the Marauders

by Merenili, varvara_nav, vasjuli1



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-12
Updated: 2021-02-22
Packaged: 2021-03-16 19:08:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,183
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28711764
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Merenili/pseuds/Merenili, https://archiveofourown.org/users/varvara_nav/pseuds/varvara_nav, https://archiveofourown.org/users/vasjuli1/pseuds/vasjuli1
Summary: The Marauders are the most notorious kidders at school. They are the most favourite. They are always first at everything. What will happen if someone who can overdo them shows up? Someone who has the power to get them off the stage and take the crown for himself?
Relationships: James Potter/Lily Evans Potter, Lucius Malfoy/Narcissa Black Malfoy, Peter Pettigrew/Original Female Character(s), Remus Lupin/Original Female Character(s), Sirius Black/Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 7





	1. The Resumption

**Author's Note:**

  * A translation of [A&B, или Как приручить Мародеров](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/741246) by Merenili. 



> This is our translation of a fantastic work about the Marauders era. We loved it so much that we decided to share it with non-russian fans. You will never forget this story.

Autumn this year was unexpectedly warm. By early September the leaves on the trees were still green, and everything was wrapped in the rays of the sun, which all the students of Hogwarts enjoyed with great pleasure.

Freely lying under the crown of the tree, the Marauders were squinting and sleepily looking on the busy first-years. They were waving their wands over someone's cat with the frightening enthusiasm. The cat was squeaking, alternately changing its colour from blue to red, and desperately trying to escape. Finally, the unfortunate creature managed to slip out.

"It's so boring..." James said lazily, ruffling his messy hair even more, "By the way, where is Pete?"

Sirius Black reluctantly opened his eye, looked around and closed it again.  
"He was going to go to the Common Room. He said that he had left something the-e-e-re," Remus Lupin eventually answered, managing yawning, "Oh, it's him, isn't it?"

The guy raised himself up on his elbows, peering into the school gates. A skinny, inconspicuous at first sight boy was running towards them at full speed. After reaching the Marauders, he bent over double, trying to catch his breath.

"You are really weakened after summer," Black said more idly than mockingly, "It's time to focus on your health."

"There's... There's..."

"What happened, Pete?"

"There is it! A and B is back!"

The Marauders were looking at Peter for a couple of seconds and then, springing to their feet, rushed to the school gates. They weren't sleepy anymore.

***

The friends run into the Great Hall and froze, stunned. Students were flocking near the opposite wall. They all, whispering and catching flies, were staring at the huge acronym, which looked like it was imprinted on the wall about 15 feet off the ground. The writing, more precisely two mysterious letters "AB", was shimmering blue and green, emitting phosphorescent glow in the dimmed lights of the dark hall.

Below it, there were smaller lines, which also looked imprinted on the wall: an elegant blue-green inscription. Sirius awoke first. He immediately appeared near the people gathered next to the wall and, not tiptoeing around others, started pushing to reach the lines. James, Remus and Peter hurried after him. Eventually getting through the crowd, the "great" four was able to see the stirring lines,

"Gents Marauders!

I'm glad to greet you in our own school again!  
You know when last year I decided to abandon my clownish craft, I thought that I was leaving school in the right hands and you would never let us be bored. However, your jokes, unfortunately, are becoming more and more trivial. They're starting to fade. You're losing your grip, my dear failed competitors! This way, I'm glad to tell you that I'm back. I'm returning to you with new powers, new ideas and, of course, pranks.

Keep out of my way, the Marauders, or my jokes will be turned against you. You don't want it, my sweet dull friends, do you?

Always yours,  
AB"

There was a bad silence. All students were looking at the Marauders, the Marauders were looking at the wall, the wall was tolerating it but still staying.

"To fade? To fade?!" Sirius Black fiercely turned to James, "What does this "Ehb" allow itself?"

"It's not "Ehb", it's "A and B", Sirius," Remus responded to him. He was the only one who still was calm.

"How dare he?! James! We have to teach this braggart a lesson!" Sirius was incensed. "It's our last year at school, we can't allow someone like "ehb" take our proper place!"

Nearly them was sounded a sarcastic chuckle, which was loud enough to be heard. Black furiously turned around - a dark-haired skinny girl with the Ravenclaw patch on the robe was derisively gazing at him.

"What do you want, Parker?" Sirius almost barked.

"You'd better learn the English alphabet, Black. Especially that part which is connected to pronunciation of the letters." Her voice happened to be deep and drawling.

"I perfectly know how they're pronounced, Parker! Besides, what the hell are you doing here?"

"I was looking for Remus to return his books."

Girl's sight moved to Remus. Her gray eyes instantly became warm, and a genuine smile slightly appeared on the thin, unnaturally light lips.

"Here's. I've finished the books, Remus. Thanks a lot - you have saved me from boredom this summer." With these words, she took three worn books out of her bag and handed them to Lupin.

"You're welcome, Mel. Always glad to help you," Lupin nodded, also smiling, "I'm sorry we have to go now. We need to... erm... calm Sirius down.

***

"What are you seeing in her, Moony?", Black asked more calmly, going to the Gryffindor Common Room with his friends.

"The fifth element," he told the Fat Lady in passing. She swung open in the time, accepting the password.

"She's an interesting person, Black, and we have the same taste in literature"

"She comes out of the shadows only to go to the library and borrow a new portion of wastepaper," the boy grumbled. "I'm even not sure that she eats anything. I don't remember seeing her in the Great Hall."

"Why - she goes there a lot," James answered immediately. "Actually, sometimes she is at the Slytherin table with Snivellus and her Slytherin bestie."

"Don't remind me."

The Common Room was filled with hustle and bustle. Seniors were discussing the AB's resumption while juniors were passionately asking about all pranks, which had been made by this mysterious kidder.

"Who is this "AB"?" a grating voice sounded near the Marauders. She was probably a first-year because the rest of the students have already known all details from the previous year.

"AB is a mix of the notorious kidder and the crusader," Frank Longbottom informed. "He showed up three years ago. Nobody knows how he looks like or who he is but... he certainly is the main Marauders' competitor."

"Why is he called a crusader?" a new voice asked curiously.

"When someone steps out of line, you always have an opportunity to complain to AB. He can punish this... bad person so much that he will never forget it," Frank stopped for a second, then continued, "Last year he and the Marauders had a real war for power and, honestly, they were with the score tied almost till the end. At the end of the year AB suddenly disappeared, vanished without explanation, and now also suddenly came back."

The Marauders, not wanting to listen to this story, went to the soft armchairs, which were in the corner of the Common Room.

"If everything goes just like last year..."

"It will be pretty fun," James shrugged his shoulders carelessly.

"Well, I think you're wrong, Prongs. Don't forget how this obnoxious "ehb" trumped us in everything!" Sirius sighed. "Do you remember when we dyed Lucius orange? He became so... sunny?" Black smiled widely.

"Yeah, and as an answer "AB" sent Slytherin a bunch of violets with an empty postcard and his signature. As soon as they sat at their table, all their robes became bright pink and got ruffles and lace."

"However, it suited them really well!" Black laughed. "Remember how we transfigured Filch's clothes to the woman's sleepwear with flowers?"

"And then AB turned Mrs Norris into a poodle!"

"Oh, they looked gorgeous together!"

"Do you remember," Remus said unexpectedly, "when on Valentine's Day AB incomprehensibly dosed the half of Slytherin with Amortentia?"

"Yeah! They have been proposing to each other and Gryffindor for a week!"

"I don't understand why Slytherin hasn't had a vendetta against AB yet," James said when he stopped laughing. "However, Padfoot, admit that "ehb" couldn't overdo that your stunt."

"What are you talking about, Prongs?" Black was looking funny with his furrowed forehead, trying to understand his friend.

"Well, remember when you entered the Great Hall on your muggle motorcycle, presented McGonagall a bunch of chamomile and got far away, breaking the ceiling, after turning her hat into the cat's head?"

"Yes! Moreover, she gave 20 points to Gryffindor for "brilliant skills of Transfiguration Arts"

"Uh-huh," Remus smiled. "And she gave you a detention with Filch for 5 weeks for "disrespecting the teaching staff and destroying school property."

"Uh..." James said after the silence. "It was good, wasn't it?"

"And this year will be even better," Black gloomily responded. "Especially when we find out the truth about this "A&B". Then, we will see how he will play straight!"

The Marauders silenced, thinking about their own. They didn't pay any attention to a little butterfly that was flying away from the windowsill. Its wings were blue-green.


	2. Game on

The second school week began with a shared Transfiguration: Gryffindor and Ravenclaw. Traditionally, shared lessons were with Slytherin but, remembering the last year duel between Black and Malfoy, Heads decided to delay the fight Gryffindor vs Slytherin until the Potions. Professor McGonagall had expressed her opinion about students that disrupted the Transfiguration exam and then rested in the Hospital Wing with many fractures, avoiding it, to Dumbledore. 

"Cockfightings, Albus, aren't the thing I teach our students!" she had informed the headmaster in front of the whole school, and he relented with a sigh. 

On this bright day the Marauders decided to come to the classes on time and, as Sirius Black who was woken up by relentless Lupin said, "It will be our first and last time this semester!" Remus shook his head with a smile, mockingly looking at the disheveled and wet from head to toe Black on whom he just practised Aguamenti as a way of waking up. 

"Even James woke up without these drastic measures, Padfoot. Is it so hard to wake up at least 20 minutes before the classes?" 

"Do you really think I want to switch my precious 20 minutes of an erotic dream, starring Magrid Callagan, to witness your boring face?" Black waved his wand, trying to dry the clothes and hair. As a result, his pants started to char, and his hair bristled. "Damn! What the hell is going on today?" 

"You look like a dandelion, Black!" James laughed. "Callagan will definitely approve your new style. By the way, who is she?" 

"A Ravenclaw or a Hufflepuff, I guess. Who cares?" Sirius mumbled, hopping around on one foot and trying to take the ruined pant leg off. "Argh! It burns like hell!" 

"Oh, come on!" Remus abruptly turned around, giving up. "Peter, let's go without them. Anyway, they both make no sense in class." 

And, listening to their friends shouting after them, laughing Remus and Peter descended the stairs and went on the lesson. 

*** 

The classroom was almost filled with students. Ravenclaws, as the most responsible and striving for knowledge members of Hogwarts, were sitting at the desks in its entirety. Some were putting parchment, quills and ink bottles in front of themselves, some were hitting the books with full concentration. 

Gryffindors mostly (or rather, in minority) were lying on the chairs, putting their heads on the hands, and enjoying their forty winks. Some of them were occasionally snoring. 

In front of the class a black-haired girl was sitting, not drawing any attention to the surprised looks of others. Her hair was in a tight ponytail and tied up in a green ribbon. With her black grooving boots up on her desk, she was meticulously looking on her right hand nails and impatiently drumming her left hand fingers on the table. Her black robe was carelessly wide open and, slipping from her shoulders, was sweeping the floor by its corner. 

Beate Sprinkles. The Slytherin's best student. 

"Sprinkles! Aren't you in the wrong auditorium?" Black half-arched his eyebrow, derisively looking at her from his height. 

The girl glanced at him and a poisonous smile appeared on her face. 

"You look so pretty, Black! A new style, a trendy haircut? Honestly, I'm quite amazed to see you here. I never thought you could walk this far into the classroom at least once in your life - all the way to the first desk." 

She didn't let him say anything and continued, "I don't think I need to make a report to you but I'm waiting for Parker. Get lost, cutie. There is too much of your hair here - it takes up all space." 

Black who was going to respond with something not less mean was unceremoniously interrupted. 

"Sprinkles! Get your dirty feet off my clean table!" Parker marched straight to the girl, without further ado kicking her out of the chair and throwing her own bag on the desk. 

"Oh Merlin, Parker, don't be such a nerd!" Beate moaned, not very gracefully getting up from the floor and dusting herself off. 

This day Parker seemed even seedier than usually. Her brown hair was sloppy tied with a scrunchy, her robe was wrapped up and buttoned up with all buttons. Tall, back straight and head high. When she turned around to Black, the guy imagined a sound of the swords removing from its scabbard. Her sight got sharpness which weirdly harmonised with a soft, ironic smile. 

"Sirius Black? A perfect haircut choice! If I blow on your hair, will it fly away like a dandelion?" 

Sirius immediately went on the warpath, "Would you take a chance to check it, Parker? At first, make sure that wind isn't blowing in your face." 

"Oh, I'm always one step ahead... Si-ri-us," she unexpectedly childishly giggled, and Sirius got confused. Suddenly, she stepped to him and ended up staying right under his nose. Actually, the top of her head ended up. A faint scent of lilies had his head turned, and he was sure that it wasn't a perfume. However, his suspicions didn't manage to take shape because the next moment the girl lifted her head and, childishly smiling again, touched Black's overly fluffy hair by her fingertips. 

They were looking at each other for a second. He - both charmed and surprised, she - snidely and mockingly, not taking her hand away from his face. 

Parker abruptly smirked and, raising her eyebrow, said with a deceptively soft voice, "Are you already waiting for something to happen, Black?" 

"Crazy," he mumbled, coming to his senses and stepping back. He turned around and hurried to James who was snorring at the back of the class. Lily Evans was angrily looking back at him, throwing grumpy glances. 

"What was that, Mel?" Beate cunningly squinted, observing Parker's facial expressions. 

"Just curiosity and a little bit of guile, Bea. A small experiment, to be exact," Parker carefree shrugged her shoulders, making her face faraway as usual. "So, what did you want?" 

"Here's. This is a list of books of potions which we have to peruse by Friday," Beate took the crumpled piece of paper with a list on it, which contained at least six items, out of her pocket. 

"Not a problem. During lunch in the library?" 

"Yeah, I will wait for you there," the Slytherin, taking her bag, slowly walked to the door and disappeared into the corridor, one last time slyly looking at her friend and doing a snarky chuckle to Black. 

*** 

"Just explain it to me, James, how can these two weirdos be best friends, huh?" now Sirius was torturing disgruntled Potter with questions. James who was trying to get comfortable noticed a look of Lily glaring at him and stood at attention. However, he was still sitting in the chair. 

He tried to smile innocently but the girl has already turned back. James gasped sadly and turned around to his friend. 

"Maybe 'cause they are in the top 10 of the best students?" 

"You wanted to say - they are in the top of Nerdy Nerds. And you, Moony? Don't you want to join their club? You can found a society of the most "brilliant" students of Hogwarts," Black snickered and sprawled on the chair, casually stretching his legs under the desk. Lupin silenced because he was still shocked by Parker's stunt. She was usually glum and withdrawn. 

"No, I understand that one of them is a Ravenclaw - she has to be certifiable, but another one..." Sirius made a wry face that expressed all power of his contempt to the Slytherin. 

"I'm not sure," Peter pensively said, "but it seems to me that they are not really fans of study. I mean," he corrected himself as he noticed the Sirius' look, "that the books they read are not from the recommended list. They are often in the Restricted Section late at night." 

"Probably, they are looking for scary curses and dark spells," Black grumbled. 

"Padfoot," Lupin joined in the conservation. "I think there is something else to think about now. AB is our problem." 

"Are you serious? Is it you, Moony? Are you worried about our victory so much?" surprised James and Sirius responded, interrupting each other. 

"I'm not thinking about the victory. Last year when AB started the war for power..." Lupin wrinkled. "At the end of the year there were really dangerous pranks. I want to say that we need to pass the N.E.W.T.s and shouldn't think about such a nonsense. Besides, if things go too far, someone may suffer. All AB's intentions were very... grandiose. He doesn't waste his time on trifles and I don't like it." 

"It is a highly right train of thought, Mr. Lupin." McGonagall entered the class. "Now it's time to think about study. Please, open your books on the first chapter. Today we are going to learn how to transfigurate inanimate objects into winged insects. Firstly, we will try to turn these stones..." 

"Oh, come on, Moony," Sirius whispered, leaning forward to him. "He has never touched anyone who isn't involved in our "war". Neither Hufflepuff nor Ravenclaw didn't even realize what was going on." 

"They realized or did not - it isn't the point. The point is that our thirst for victory can lead us too far. That's why I have an idea about how we can find out who this AB is..." 

"Mr. Lupin! Do me a favor, get into work! Your loungers-friends are enough for me!" 

The Marauders grew quiet and stared sluggishly at the lying in front of them rocks. 

"I'll tell you at break," Remus whispered, opened the book and started reading.  
  
*** 

As soon as the bell rang the Marauders threw away their slowly wiggling rocks (Peter even managed to make something like an eye on one of them) in the special box and ran out of the classroom. 

"Come on, Moony, talk!" 

"I'm a little bit afraid of your enthusiasm, Padfoot, but listen," Remus pondered for a second. "Well, firstly, I figured: his writing, the writing of AB, is probably a basic drawing spell. However, to make a wand be used not only as a painting brush, you can add some adjuncts to the spell. To shape, to style, to colour..." 

"We got it, got it. And?" 

"Patience, Padfoot. The clue is that all of these features are usually changed only after putting, for example, a certain colour on a wall. In this case it's almost impossible to make the identical marks, but it isn't for AB." 

"Moony, there is no need to teach us Charms!" 

"Well, maybe this time you will listen to it at least partically. OK, fine," Remus smiled, looking at the moody faces of his friends. "I guess, it's not just a writing, it's a signature." 

Lupin stared at the Marauders with a glorious look. James and Sirius gaped at each other and gazed at Remus. Peter frowned and suddenly, like got by inspiration, slowly said, 

"I think I get what you mean..." 

"And what does he mean?" James and Sirius asked together. They were obviously insulted by the fact that they were the only one who had no clue what was going on. 

"A repeated Charms course wouldn't be excess," Remus joyfully drawled. The Writing Spell inevitably takes into account the character of its owner. It's the same if you write with a quill - your handwriting will expose you. In this case, you use your wand, but there is no difference." 

"I think I'm beginning to understand... You can find out all information about AB in his signature, if you want, don't you? Character, habits, House and so on?" 

"Not all, but you got the point. We can, let's say, find a sort of print, a model of character, and try to figure out the owner." 

"There are several hundreds of students in Hogwarts!" Peter exclaimed. 

"Wormtail, I'm sure that no one from Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw isn't capable of doing it. The first ones are too legit and shy, the second are canny. They are only interested in study and scientific discoveries. The Gryffindors are out, either. None of ours doesn't look like a competitor. Moreover, why would they fight their own House? So, snakes..." Black made a face. 

"Your logic, Padfoot, is too adamant." 

"Moony is right, Sirius," James pensively stared at the window as if he was going to see the name of AB and a complete dossier on him there. "If he was from Slytherin, we would already figure him out. He is someone who we suspect the least of all." 

"We have collected data on all students, Prongs, it didn't work." 

"Yeah... but then we tried to play fair. We wanted to show this funny guy that the Marauders can outdo anyone, and no one would stop us. We didn't really try to find out his name." 

"You mean that if now we try to expose his personality, we admit defeat?" Sirius looked deeply offended. 

"Merlin, Padfoot!" Lupin irritably exclaimed. "It's not about this stupid contest "who is the coolest" but about..." 

"Relax, Moony. We long ago realized that you are a incorrigible killjoy. You proved it when you were assigned as a prefect," Sirius interrupted him with a smirk. 

"Oh, please! I'm going to the library and will look for something about decryption of the Writing Spell." 

"Run, run to your beloved Ravenclaw!"  
  
*** 

Getting to the library, Remus was thinking about Sirius' last words. 

To be honest, he couldn't call Emily his friend. She was always so faraway and thoughtful as if she was wandering somewhere deep inside herself. Only with Beate her face came back to life, like a accurately fitted mask disappeared. Gray steel in her eyes melted, getting a lighter colour, her sight got a spark and something painfully sincere. However, Remus could tell the same about himself: distantly polite with other people, he became lively in his best friends' company, he started to smile and laugh, and this warmth came from the heart. 

He met Emily Parker, as expected, in the library. They were looking for the same book and reasonably decided that they were able to get along at one desk. The girl turned out to be a pleasant interlocutor. Cold on the outside, she stoked about things she really cared. Suprisingly, she and Remus had a lot of such things in common. They have been communicating for three years yet, and Lupin lent her books from his collection with pleasure while she pointed intriguing writers to him. 

They could sit together in the library for hours, mind their own business, not feeling awkward or tense because of long silence. Sometimes they lifted their heads to share a liked moment from the book with each other and started laughing realizing they did it at the same time. 

How can a person be so different? Prickly and mean with Black and warming with him? 

Remus suddenly stopped: his thoughts started going off course. Emily Parker was just a friend to him, there couldn't be anything more. He knew it as clear as the full moon would be in a week. 

A senior student unexpectedly ran into him. Remus reeled back. The senior student was already going to continue running, but Lupin grabbed his sleeve, 

"Hey! Did anything happen?" he added more softly. 

"Another message from AB!" he blurted out and, pulling out his sleeve from Lupin's fingers, rushed through the corridor. 

Again? That fast and even in broad daylight - it didn't look like their last year opponent. 

Remus quickened his steps and almost ran, bounding up the stairs, went to the wall, where a crowd of students led by Filch gathered again. Mad with rage, the caretaker unsuccessfully tried both to delete a new writing and a glimmering signature of AB under the ceiling and to disperse all students. 

Remus forced his way through the crowd and saw his friends that were already standing around a bunch of talking people. The writing was shorter and harsher than yesterday's, 

"Gents Marauders! 

You decided to find out who I am? To figure out my name and personality? 

It is not a fair game, and you know it. At least, I'm glad to hear that you admit your defeat. 

Tomorrow I'm doing a warning "strike". Look forward to it. 

Always yours,  
AB" 

"How did he know about it?" Sirius had frightfully said before the voice of Head of Gryffindor House reached him. 

"Mr. Lupin, Mr. Black, Mr. Pettigrew, Mr. Potter! To my class, now!"


End file.
